James "Doc" Weldon Johnson

Doc was the youngest child of the late Guy Dewitt and Willie Mae (Bennett) Johnson. He was born in Roby, Texas, on September 4, 1927. Throughout his childhood, he was an active, curious youngster who took things apart to see what made them run. In high school he was active In sports and in Boy Scouts, where he achieved the status of Eagle Scout. He graduated from Roby High School in 1945.

On December 25, 1944, he married the love of his life, Meta Faye Ashley, and the couple celebrated their 74 anniversary in December of 2017. They had three sons, all born and raised in West Texas. In 1945, after his graduation from high school, he joined the army where he served In the 82nd Airbourne as a paratrooper.

Following his discharge from service In 1947, he and his wife moved to Crane, Texas, where they lived until 1980 when Gulf Oil, for whom Doc worked, sent him to Venezuela as a consultant for a gasoline plant there. After a two-year stint, he returned to Crane and was there until his retirement. In 1985 they moved to beautiful Lake Brownwood. As old age began closing in, he and Meta returned to West Texas in 2009 and settled in Odessa, Texas, to be near their sons.

Doc was a loving husband, an exemplary father, a loyal friend, hard worker, carpenter and a good neighbor. More importantly, he was a devout Christian, always active in the churches of which he was a member. He was ordained as a deacon in 1954 and served faithfully for over fifty years.

He is preceded in death by his beloved wife Meta, his parents, two brothers, Robert Johnson and William Leander Johnson, two sisters Mildred (Johnson) Knox and Edith (Johnson) Henry and his oldest son Michael Weldon Johnson.

Doc is survived by two sons, Ashley Dwayne (Dee) Johnson and his wife Vonna and Stephen Fayne Johnson and his wife Mary. He also leaves behind twelve grandchildren, twenty-six great grandchildren and six great great grandsons.

Services will be held at 10:00am, Saturday, March 2, 2024 at Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors with Pastor Lyndel Lee officiating. Pallbearers will be grandsons, Jeremy Johnson, Jason Johnson, Marcus Johnson, Josh Smith, Jarad Smith, Sean Thompson, Keith Dylla and Wes Kasper. Interment will follow, led by Pastor Rick, at 4:00 pm at the Rocky Creek Cemetery in Brownwood, Texas.